Monday, June 29, 2015

June 22nd to 30th Ravenshoe

     Having a quiet time here in Ravenshoe, the weather is very changeable, wet and drizzly one day and beautiful sunshine the next. the advantage is, that it isn't cold, cool at times but very manageable for us.


Little Millstream platypus water hole
     The pup's and I have been walking the town every day, rain or shine.
Found our way to a part of the Little Millstream that is a bit over grown around the banks but a narrow track led us to this largish waterhole which I later learnt is a Platypus hole. I didn't see any that day, but I did see a platypus in the creek that runs behind the van park we are in, on our first day here, but it was such a  brief sighting I wasn't sure of what I had seen at the time.

The top Pub at Ravenshoe
     There are 2 hotels in Ravenshoe, this one that the locals call the Top Pub and another known as The Club Hotel.
     The town has everything one would ever need and is very friendly and so-o-o- green with all the water ways running beautifully. Shame about the drizzly weather but it wouldn't be green without it and I know that it can be lovely here.

     We will be sticking around Ravenshoe for a while, so catch you next month.

Sunday, June 21, 2015

June 9th 21st Prairie to Ravenshoe

      Tuesday 9th
    Leaving Prairie today we went to Pentland again to the van park to catch up with washing and household chores.
     Next day to Charters Towers where we are meeting with a family member from Jerviose Station up around Greenvale area, 256km from the Towers, with the intention of spending some time on the station helping out where ever needed.
     Leaving Pentland reasonably early about 30 minutes out we heard a loud bang, Yip nearly jumped over the table in fright along with myself and Dot. Upon inspection we found the rear tyre had lost the entire centre of the tread, still fully inflated though. Decided to continue very steady trying to make it all the way to Carters Towers. Not to be, 10 minutes up the road and the rest of tread came adrift, (much to our fright again).
     So - after changing the wheel we made Charters Towers by late am, had the tyre replaced and settled into the roadhouse for the night.
     Met with the Jervoise Station member and will stock up tomorrow and make our way to Greenvale first up.
         
          Thursday 11th
    Stocked up at last and away by 11am. Blue Waters Roadhouse made lunch for us, nothing here at all, just the roadhouse.
Arrived in Greenvale 3pm, pretty tired and looking forward to a rest, parked outside the Three Rivers Hotel.

Sausage Tree in Greenvale
    This picture of the Sausage Tree is in the grounds of the hotel. Strange thing, I must say! The sausages (fruit I think)are somewhere between 4-6 inches round and maybe up to a foot long.
Me and the sausages on the
sausage tree at Greenvale
It is a native of South Africa. no known uses at all. There are only 3 other trees recorded in Australia, 2 in Townsville Botanical gardens and 1 in the Adelaide botanical gardens.
     We camped where we where for the night.

            Friday 12th
     Jerviose Station
         The gravel road  to the cattle station left much to be desired (grader maybe good), nearly shook us to bits. Still, got there safely with a warm welcome and a cuppa. After setting up we had a look around and some discussion about what was required.

           Saturday 13th
     Decided that staying at Jerviose was not for us and left midday, making our way to firstly Mt Garnet for a small rest then on to Archer Creek for the night.

           Monday 15th
     The weather is a bit unkind, mizzly misty rain, so have gone into Ravenshoe to the Tall Timbers Caravan park. Booked in for week at $100.00.

Little Millstream falls with Yip
Little Millstream falls
     Have thrown our name in to the hat to volunteer ourselves to help in any way needed after the horror explosion at one of the cafes last week where 8 persons where badly injured.

     In the mean time  taking photo's galore while visiting the Little millstream, one of the many waterfalls around the area.
  Friday 19th
  
Millaa Millaa and country from the look-out
     Took the pup's for drive to Millaa Millaa today, via the scenic route , not good for caravans! I know why, but a pretty drive. The town is small but is renowned for the many waterfalls around the area. The scenery is beautiful all over, this one from the lookout over the surrounding country and the town in the distance.
Kauri pine log at Millaa Millaa



In a park in town is this huge Kauri log. It is estimated to be 870 years old. Apparently planted somewhere around 1137!!
    It fell over in 2003, the root system no longer able to sustain the tree.
At that time it was 26 metres to the first branch. (What do you reckon? big eh!) The trunk of it was trucked to its present resting place in 2003 in 3 x 4 metre and 1 x 2 metre lengths making a total of 14 metres of log. 1 metre of the trunk is equal to 4 tonnes of timber.

Millaa Millaa falls
    

Drove to the Millaa Millaa falls while there but gave the others a miss as they are in National park and the dogs are not allowed to visit. These are great though, very picturesque.



   
The Reluctant Cow
a statue at Millaa Millaa
     This unusual statue I found at the end of the road in the town, sort of hiding in the corner. Thought it rated a photo.





Wind Farm at Ravenshoe
     On the way back to Ravenshoe I stopped to look at the Wind Turbines at the Wind Farm. Absolutely Huge, making a kind of slow swishing noise as they moved slowly with the wind, a little weird kind of noise.

          Saturday 20th
     There is a wild life hospital at Millstream we visited today called Eagle Nest owned by a chap named Harry. He has all kinds of animal but the most impressive for us is the 13 Dingo, along with 3 (that I saw) wedge tailed eagles.

Alpine Dingo at Ravenshoe
Black+Tan dingo at Ravenshoe
    


Jim + 4 of the dingo at Ravenshoe
A Tawny Frogmouth Owl at
Ravenshoe
Many wallaby, other birds, emu and all sorts of injured and rescue animals.
     This little owl was a among the many birds I saw.


     Back at camp the day has been fantastic, clouded over in the late afternoon but no rain as yet.




           Sunday 21st
     The weather has turned misty and showery. Nothing for it but - to relax.

                   Stand by for the next episode when I blog again.



Monday, June 8, 2015

June 1st to 8th Charters Towers to Prairie

      Monday 1st
    


Charters towers from Towers Hill
Parked at the roadhouse west of Charters Towers overnight last night to get to Windscreens O'Brien and have the windscreen on the bus replaced after the Wedge trailed eagle smashed it last week.
     While waiting, I spent the day restocking Dilligaf, and sightseeing to Towers Hill, which has a 360 degree view of Charters towers and surrounds.


1889 building in Charters Towers
then the N.S.W Bank


     The town has some amazing old buildings, as this one of the Bank of N.S.W.  dated 1889.


     The windscreen was completed around mid afternoon so we camped another night at the roadhouse.

          Tuesday 2nd

Old Police cells at Pentland
 



Pentland rail station with
incoming train
      Away from Charters Towers early this morning after reloading Jimny on the trailer  and refuelling both vehicles and a couple of jerry cans we reached Pentland to book into the van park for a couple of nights at $22.00 per night.


          Thursday 4th
     Prairie today.
         On the way through Pentland we stopped at the local farmers fruit stall, thought he had left the area as hadn't seen him, but grabbed a whole heap of lovely fresh fruit, vegies, cake and bread rolls, John is the stall holders name, he makes all the goodies himself.

Sunset on our 2nd day at Prairie
     Arriving at the Prairie Hotel late morning we set up camp behind the hotel, will catch up with old friends later.


     Intend to spend the long June weekend here.

The hotel and Proprietress


     The owners of the hotel have been hard at it with renovations since our last visit. The Horse on the roof  is an attention grabber, looks good too.





Trains, Planes +??
they have it all in Prairie

The pups are having a ball, they both enjoy their walks around the town and along some of the dirt roads.
     Walking them one evening this jet trail seemed to go on for ever and couldn't help including the photo I took.

     Life is much the same in Prairie, not much has changed (except the date) It's always good to catch up with old acquaintance's.

    Back east again Tuesday 9th to Charters Towers to see about helping out at a cattle station near Greenvale.
     Wait to see what happens when next I blog.